Ink-distributing attachment for platen printing-presses



R. 0. VANDERCOOK.

INK DISTRIBUTING ATTACHMENT FOR PLATEN PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13, 1919.

l ,38 1,948 Patented June 21, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

R. O. VANDERCOOK.

INK DISTRIBUTING ATTACHMENT FOR PLATEN PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICTION FILED FEB. I3. I9I9.

1,381,948, l Patented June 21, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R. 0. VANDERCOOK.

INK DISTRIBUTING ATTACHMENT FOR PLATEN PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICAI'ION FILED FEBl I3 I9I9.

1. l 4M mm R w w L M Ks W1 m m Y 1M 4 "`v`\\ A w S. Nw 0 m ,my @N A@ I ,w /J m7 J W/l i I: I .NW Smm, Nh. T ,/J4 f WNS.' Nh] MH. .U

R. 0. VANDERCOOK.

INK DTSTRIBUTTNG ATTACHMENT FOR PLATEN PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13, 1919.

1 ,38 1 ,948 Patented J une 21, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET '4.

E n/672,252 15256255 yan Z6/500i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT 0. VANDERCOOK, 0F EVANSTON', ILLINOIS.

Application led February To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT O. VANDER- CooK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ink-Distributing Attachments for Platen Printing- Presses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This inventionI relates to improvements in ink distributing attachments for platen printing presses and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an attachment which may be readily and easily applied to a platen press and which will eiliciently co-act with the form rollers so as to assist in evenly and speedily spreading the ink upon said form rollers.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the attachment may be applied to presses already in use, said means being so constructed as to permit the attachment to automatically adjust itself to the various form rollers which may be of different diameters, due to any cause whatsoever.

Other objects of my invention as well as the several advantages thereof, will more fully appear, as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a part of a platen printing press of the Gordon type, showing my improved attachment as applied and used in connection with the usual ink distributing mechanism thereof.

2 represents a detail view in elevation of one end of the form rollers and the saddles thereof, and illustrates the application of mv improved attachment to said saddles.

Fig. 3 represents a detail view in elevation of the other end of the form rollers and the saddles therefor, and illustrates the application of my improved attachment. to said saddles.

Fig. 4 represents a detail, vertical sectional view through the form rollers and through my improved attachment, the plane of the section being indicated by theline M of Fig. 1.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 21, 1921. 13, 1919. Serial N0. 276,740.

Fig. 5 represents a top plan view of the form rollers and their associated saddles and illustrates the relative location of the parts of my improved attachment with reference gol said form rollers and their'associated sad- Fig. 6 represents a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale, throughl one of the form rollers and its associated saddles, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 6-6 of 5.

Fig. 7 represents a perspective View of one of the double saddles for the form rollers and illustrates a flanged pivot pin forming a part of my improved attachment, in place upon said double saddle.

Fig. 8 represents aperspective view of one of the single saddles for the form rollers and illustrates a flanged pin forming a part of my improved attachment, in place upon said single saddle.

F ig. 9 represents a view in side elevation of an attachment hook forming a part of my invention, which will be more specifically referred to later.

Fig. 10 represents a view in side elevation of a roller and its shaft, forming a part of my improved attachment.

Fig. 11 represents, on an enlarged scale, a longitudinal section through said roller and its shaft.

Fig. 12 represents a view similar to that shown in Fig. 11, but with the parts shown in changed relation.

Figs. 18 and 14 represent detail sectional views through said roller and its shaft, the planes of the sections being indicated respectively by the lines 13-13 and 14-14 of Fig. 11.

F ig. 15 represents a detail sectional view through one of the yielding attachment memjliners, and will be more specifically referred to ater.

Fig. 16 is' a detail view in side elevation illustrating a modified form of my invention.

Fig. 17 is a detail View in perspective of a part of the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 16.

Referreing now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1

to l-inclusive of the accompanying .drawings, the improved inl: distributer is shown as used in connection with a platen press of the well known Gordon type, wherein 20 indicates one of the side fram, upon which the platen 21 and the feed table 22 are mounted. 23 indicates the swinging bed of the press which carries the chase 24 and which has the usual side rails 25. 26 indi- Cates the ink disk which is rotated step by step, and 27, 28 and 29 indicate respectively,

the top, intermediate and bottom form rollm ers which ink the form set up inthe chase.

Said form rollers are made of composition and the top and intermediate rollers are rotatively mounted at their ends in left hand and right hand double saddles 30, 31, respectively, while the bottom form roller is rotatively mounted at its ends in left and right hand single saddles 32 and 33 respectively. All of said saddles are secured to associated rods 34, which have a yielding and sliding bearing'in pivoted roller frames, 36, one on each side of the press. These frames are pivoted to the bed 23 and are actuated from Wheels 37 on the side frame 2O by links or arms 38. All of the mecha' nism above described, is common to printing presses of the Gordon type and need not herein be more particularly described.

Generally, the form. rollers 27, 28 and 29, have solid met-al shafts, the ends of which are journaled in the associated saddles and generally on said shafts between said saddles and the ends of the form rollers, are roller trucksy of solid metal which roll or ride on the rails 25 of the bed 23, during the travel of the form rollers from the inking disk 26 to the form set, up in the chase 24. I have found by actual experiment, that this solid shaft and truck roller construction has its disadvantages due to weight, friction and excessive vibration," and I have eliminated these disadvantages by the structure now to be described. I substitute for the solid shaft. of the form rollers, a tubular steel shaft 40, one of which is shown in Fig.

6, the ends of said shaft being plugged by aluminum plugs 41. If desired these plugs maysbe dispensed with so as to permit air to circulate through the tubular shaft 40. This will assist in keeping the shaft at a temperature below that wherein disintegration of the form rollers starts in. The truck rollers 42 on said tubular shaft at the ends of the rform rollers, are made of aluminum and are secured to said shaft by means of a pin and slot arrangement 43. Said truck rollers have rubber tires 44 which en gage against a flange 45 at the inner end of the truck rollers. The rubber tires 44 will engage without slipping, vibration or noise, upon the bed rails 25, in the inking movement of the form rollers and provide thenecessary traction to insure the positive, rotative movement ofthe form rollers. Said rubber tires are made in various sizes to accommodate form rollers of various diameters due to shrinkage or expansion. The tubular shaft and aluminum truck rollers just described decrease the weight ofthe inking mechanism and reduce the load on the springs surrounding the saddle rods 34, 35, in the roller frames, thus increasing the efficiency of operation of the press as a whole.

In connection with the form rollers, is used a. pair of tubular steel distributing rollers 46, 47 which in the operation of the press, contact and rotate with the form rollers and also have an endwise, reciprocating movement, as will be described later. Preferably, these rollers 4G and 47 are so arranged that they each engage o-r contact with two of the form rollers, the distributing roller 46 being of a comparatively small diameter and being arranged in a plane between the top and intermediate form rollers 27 and 28 with which it engages, while the other distributing roller 47 is of a. larger diameter and is arranged in a plane between the intermediate and bottom form rollers 28 and 29, with which it engages. By providing distributing rollers of different diameters, the speed of the rotation of said rollers is different, and. this results in a more thorough cutting up and distribution of the ink on the form rollers.

The distributing roller 46 which is of the smaller diameter, is ol'ieratively attached to the double saddles 30, 31, associated with the form rollers 27 and 28, while the other distributing roller 47 is operatively attached to the single saddles 32 and 33 associated with the bottom form roller 29, and as the means for attachment of one of the dis tributing rollers is substantially the same as that of the other, a detailed description of the construction of one, will sufiice for both.

The distributing roller 47 (see Figs. 1'() to 14 inclusive) is mounted on a tubularshaft 49 and threaded into the ends of said shaft are exteriorly threaded plugs 50, 50. Said plugs have inner end parts 51 of reduced diameter,.Whic-h have a. left hand threaded engagement with the ends of the shaft 49, and said plugs have outer end parts 52 o-f likewise reduced diameter which have a right hand threaded engagement with eX- tension arms 53, 53. vThe body of the plugs .30, 50, have right hand threads of a predetermined pitch and of a diameter equaling that of the shaft 49. The total length of the shaft 49 and its associated plugs 50 is greater than the length of the associated distributing roller 47.

In the ends of said roller 47A are bushings 47a 47 which have a bore of a diameter grehter than that of the plugs 50 and said bores are threaded to a pitch the same as that of the threads on said plugs. Adjustably mounted on the outer ends of the plugs 50 are coned nuts 54 which have shoulders 55 yat their inner ends, said nuts usually engaging against suitable shoulders formed at the inner ends of the extension arms 53 and 53a.

In the outer ends of the arm extensions 53, 53a, are provided holes 56, 56 and slidably mounted in the hole 56 in said arm eX- tension 53a, is a pin 57 (see Figs. 3 and l5), that has an eye 58 at its bottom end. This eye is engaged upon a pin 59 secured to the rear face of the right hand single saddle 33. The top end of the pin or rod 57 is screw threaded to receive a head 60 and a pair of jam nuts 61, and surrounding said rod between the nuts 6l and the arm extension 53a, is a coiled expansion spring 62. The hole 56 is somewhat larger than the assoJ ciated rod to permit of ampleplay, .so that the associated distributing roller is capable of a self-adjusting movement Within limited bounds. Associated with the hole 56 inthe left hand extension arm 53, is a rod 57a similar to the rod 57 before described, but instead of the eye 58, said rod 57 a has a hook 58a on the left hand single saddle 32. Said rod has similar head,y jam nuts and springs 60a, 61a and 62a, respectively, as in the case of the rod 57.

The structure of the distributing roller 46 is approximately the same except that the arm extensions 53 and 53a aire offset upwardly to pass over the-top of the double saddles and the rods 57, 572L in this instance, are attached t0 ins 64, 64a, one 'of which is flanged, as 1s the pin 59a, arranged coincident with the axis of the pivot betweenthe double saddles 30 and 31, and their associated yielding mounting rods 34, 34.

The operation of the improved ink dis` tributing mechanism, as shown in Figs. l toz 15 inclusive, is as follows z-Assume that the distributing rollers 46 and 47 are yieldingly attached in place between and in engagement with the form rollers, by means of their associated attachment rods, said distributing rollers rotating with said form .rollers as said form rollers travel from the ink font vacross the ink disk and to the form in the chase, in the usual Well known'manner. By reason of the difference in diameter between the distributing rollers 46 and 47 the smaller roller 46 will rotate faster than the larger roller 47. The springs 61,61, associated with the rods 57, 57a, will act topull or draw downwardly on the shafts of the distributing rollers so that the relative position of the rollers 46 and 47 with respect to their shafts 49, will be as shown in Fig. ll. llnder such conditions, the threads on the plug 50 will engage with only that part of the threads in the bushings 47, as are at the bottom of the bores therein. is the form rollers move downwardly toward the form in the chase, they will rotate in one direction and impart a rotative movement in an opposite direction, to the distributing rollers 46 and 47 and as said distributing rollers are thus rotated, they will travel endwise by reason of the threaded engagement between the bushings 47a and the plugs 50. In this endwise movement, the bushing 47 a at one end of the said roller, will vengage with and climb upon the shoulder 55 on the nut -54 and center said roller with reference to that end of the shaft, and thus produce a disengagement between the before engaging threads at that end of said distributing roller. The bushing at the other end of said distributing roller will still be in threaded engagement with the associated plug 50, but the threads thus engaging will. climb and disengage from each other, so as to permit of a still further rotative movement of said tubular shaft without an endwise movement thereof. rollers are traveling upward from the chase toward the disk, a reversal of the movement just described will .take place, and this reversal will be automatic and will occur twice during each complete cycle of the form rollers.

It is well known that in the travel of the form rollers in their operation, the relative arrangement or location of said rollers cha-nge at different points in their travel, and there will be a wider separation between the intermediate and bottom form rollers. than between the intermediate and top form rollers, but this separation is taken care of by the roller 47 through its yielding connection with the saddles of said bottom form roller, as before mentioned.

Furthermore, this yielding connection will compensate for any inequalities in the size or shape of the form rollers and will not bring such pressure to bear upon them as will prevent their rotation. Thus the distributing rollers will cut up and more uniformly and quickly transfer the ink from the ink fountain direct to the bottom form roller, without the ink from the fountain coming first into Contact with the ink disk and thereby smooth out the ink on the form rollers before it is transferred to the disk. thus insuring a more rapid and thorough distribution of the ink to the disk and also to the form in the chase.

The yielding attachment rods permit the distributing rollers to automatically assume a position in the exact middle between the associated form rollers without effort on the part of the operator, in properly setting said distributing rollers and said distributing rollers will always maintain practically the same pressures on the form rollers.

ln applying my attachment to the double form of saddle, l utilize as the point of attachment, the alined lifting pin which provides the pivot between the said saddles and their rods, while in the case of the single saddle, it is only necessary to attach a pin to each one of said single saddles, as before menl/Vhen the fornitioned. Should it be desired to remove either one or both of said distributing rollers, it is only necessary7 to depress the rod 57 to disengage its hooked end from the associated flanged pin, at the left hand side of the press, and then impart an end- Wise movement to said roller as a ivhole to disengage the eye 58 on the rod 57 from its` associated pin on the right hand side of the press. Each distributing roller may be attached by a reversal of the movement just mentioned. The attaching and detaching of' the 'rollers 46, L17 is easily brought about by the yielding construction before mentioned.

The screw threaded arrangement with the shoulder trip or kick-off, is simple and etlicient, and needs no springs or other parts to rapidly get out of order, and by moving the nuts 54: inwardly, the endwise travel of the distributing roller, may be adjusted to suit the requirements of the presses to which the said distributing rollers are attached. Furthermore, by threading the arm extensions 53, 53a to the reduced end parts 52 of the plugs 50, I am enabled to provide a lengthwise adjustment of each distributing roller as a Whole, to make up for such differences in Width, as may exist in presses of different makes.

In the 'modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 16 and 17, only one distributing roller 47is illustrated as co-acting and engaging With the bottom and intermediate form rollers 28 and 29. Also, instead f providing for the yieldingly holding of the said distributing roller 17. in engagement with the form rollers 28 and 29, from above, wherein the said distributing `roller is operatively connected to the single saddles 32 and 33, I attain the same efficient operation by operatively and yieldingly connecting said distributing roller to the roller frames 36 at each side of the press, as will now be described.

Instead of the hole 56 in the end of each extension arm 53, 53a of the distributing roller 47, I provide a longitudinal slot 't see Fig. 17) in which the hooked top end 71 of a strap 72 engages. Said strap is of a lat bar cross section and the bottom end of said strap is formed to provide a yoke having spaced eyes 7 3 arranged in a plane parallel to the said distributing roller. The eyes of said yoke are pivotally connected by a pin 7d to the top end of a rod 75 that has sliding bearing in the roller arm 36. Aj

spring 76 surrounds the bottom end of said rod and tends to pull downwardly on said rod, which, by means of the strap 72, will hold the distributing roller 17 in yielding engagement with' the associated form rollers.

By the use of the relatively Wide, flat strap 72, l. am enabled to removably attach the distributing roller as just described, irrespective of the small space between the form roller saddles, and Without making any change in said saddles. Said strap easily resists any lateral thrust imposed upon it in the lateral movement of said disteil/uiting roller.

In the construction just described, the distributing roller is yieldingly held in engagement ywith the associated form rollers and operates yin substantially the same manner as that described in connection with the constructionshown in Figs. 1 to 15 inclusive.

-lVhile in describing my invention. I have referred to certain details of inechani lal construction and arrangement of parts, I do not wish to be limited thereto, except as may be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An ink distributing attachment for platen presses having form rollers and saddles therefor. said attachment comprising a shaft, a distributing roller rotatively mounted on said shaft and adapted to engage with one of the form rollers and to be rotated thereby, said,distributing roller also being capable of an endwise movement on-said shaft, means for removably attaching said shaft to the form roller saddles, and coacting means on said shaft and roller for limiting the endvvise movement of said distributing roller on said shaft Without increasing the frictional resistance against a `free rotative movement of said roller on said shaft after it has reached the limit of its endwise travel thereon.

2. ink distributing attachment for platen presses having form rollers and saddles therefor, said attachment comprising a shaft, a distributing roller rotatively mounted on said shaft and adapted to en gage with one of the form rollers and to be rotated thereby` said distributing roller also being capable of an endwise movement on said shaft, means for removably attaching said shaft to the form roller saddles, said means including devices for holding said distributing roller in yielding engagen'ient with said form roller, and co-acting means on said shaft and roller for limiting the endivise movement of said distributing roller on said shaft Without. increasing the frictional resistance against a` free rotative movement of said roller on said shaft after it has reached the limit of endwise travel thereon.

3. An ink distributing attachment for platen presses having form rollers and saddles therefor, said attachment. comprising a shaft having threaded ends of apredetermined diameter, a tubular roller mounted on said shaft, said roller having screw threads of a greater diameter' normally engaging the screiv threads on the shaft so that said roller will, in its rotation, moive endwise onl said shaft, shoulders on said shaft adapted to be engaged by said tubular roller as it ap` proaches the limit of its endwise movement on said shaft to disengagev that end of the 'eller from the shaft, and means at the eX- treme ends ofthe shaft for removably attaching the shaft to the saddles.

4. An ink distributing attachment for plat-il en presses having form rollers and saddles therefor, said attachment comprising a shaft having threaded ends of a predetermined diameter, a tubular roller mounted on said shaft, said roller having screw threads of a greater diameter normally engaging the' screw threads on the shaft so that said roller will in its rotation, move endwise om said shaft, shoulders on said shaft adapted to be engaged by the endsof said tubular roller as it approaches the ends of said shaft in its endwise movement thereon, said shoulders being adjustable lengthwise of said shaft to limitthe said endwise movement, of said tubular roller, and means at the extreme ends of said shaft for removably attaching the shaft to the saddles.

5. In combination with a platen printing press having a plurality of form rollers and saddles therefor, a plurality of distributing rollers, onearranged in a plane between two form rollers, and in engagement with said form rollers, a shaft for each distributing roller, screw threads on said shaft, screw threads in said distributing rollers adapted to engag/{rthe screw threads on said shaft` so as to roate on and move endwise of said shaft, shoulders on said shaft, adapted to be engaged by said distributing roller to disengage said roller threads from the shaft threads, and means attaching said shaft to the saddles, said attaching means holding said distributing roller in yielding engagement with the associated form rollers. In combination with a platen printlng press having a plurality of form rollers and saddles therefor, a plurality of distributing rollers, one of said distributing rallers being j of a diameter greater than the other, and

each of said distributing rollers being ar ranged in a plane between and engaged with two form rollers, a shaft for each distributing roller, screw threads on said shaft, screw threads in the ends of each distributing roller adapted to engage the screw threads on said shaft so as to: rotate on land move endwise of said shaft, shoulders on said shaft at the ends of the screw threads on the shaft, adapted to be engaged by said distributing roller to disengage said roller 'thregds from the shaft threads. and means for attaching the shaft to the form roller saddles, said means holding the distributing rollers in yielding engagement with their associated form rollers.

7. In combination with aplaten printing press having a pluralitv of forni rollers and saddles therefor, a plurality of dietr t ating.

rollers, one of said distributing rollers being of a diameter greater than the other, and each o f said distributing rollers being arranged in a plane between and engaged with two form rollers, a shaft for each distributing roller, screw threads on said shaft, screw threads in the ends of each distributing roller adapted to engage the screw threads on said shaft so as to rotate on and move endwise of said shaft, means providing shoulders lengthwise adjustable of the shaft, said shoulders being adapted to be engaged by the distributing rollers and to limit their Aendwise movement on their associated shafts, and to disengage the roller threads from the shaft threads, and rods removably attached to the saddles of the associated form rollers, said rods being connected to the ends of said 4shaft and acting to hold the distributing rollers in yielding contact with their associated r forni roller.

8. In combination with a platen printing press having a plurality of form rollers and saddles therefor, a plurality of distributing rollers, one arranged. in a plane between two form rollers, and in engagement with said form rollers, a shaft for each distributing roller, and upon which4 the distributing rolliers have rotative and endwise movement, eX-

tensions for said shafts, each having a hole therethrough, means providing pins on the form roller saddles, rods removably attached .to said pins and extending through the holes in said shaft extensions, a head on each rod, and a spring surrounding each rod between the shaft extensions and said heads.

9. In combination with a platen printing f press having a plurality of form rollers and saddles therefor, a plurality of distributing rollers, one arranged in a plane between two 4form rollers, and in engagement with said form rollers, a shaft foreach distributing roller, and upon which the distributing rollers have rotative and endwise movement, lengthwise, adjustable extensions for said shafts, each having a hole therethrough, ,means providing pins on the form roller saddles, rods removably attached to said pins and. extending through the holes in said Jeshaft extensions, a head on each rod, and a 'spring surrounding each rod between the ,shaft extensions and said heads.

l0, In combination with a platen printing "press having a plurality of form rollers and `saddles therefor, a plurality of distributing rollers, one arranged in a plane between two Iform rollers, and in engagement with said 'form rollers, a shaft for each distributing roller, and upon which the distributing @roller has rotative and endwise movement, extensions for said shafts each having a hole Ltherethrongh, means providing pins on the *forni roller saddles, rods extending through fthe holes in said shaft extensions, one of said rods having an eye to engage the pins on the form roller saddles on one side of the press, and the other rods having a hook to engage the pins on the form roller saddles on the 'other side of the press, a head on each rod,and springs surrounding eacli rod between the shaft extensions andv said heads.

11. An ink distributing attachment for platen presses having form rollers and roller frames at the sides of the press for imparting a swinging movement to said form rollers, said attachment comprising a shaft, a distributing roller rotatively mounted on said shaft and adapted to engage one of said form rollers and to be rotated thereby, said distributing roller also being capable of anA endwise movement on said shaft, means providing a connection between said shaft and said roller frames, and coacting means on saidv shaft and on said distributing roller for limiting the endwise movement of said distributing roller on said shaft without increasing the frictional resistance against a free rotative movement of said distributing roller on said shaft after it has reached the limit of its endwise travel thereonl2. An ink distributing attachment for platen presses having form rollers and rol-ler frames at the sides of the press for imparting a swinging movement to said form rollers, said attachment comprising a shaft, a distributing roller rotatively mounted on said shaft and adapted to engage one of said form rollers and to be rotated thereby, said distributing roller also being capable'of an endwise movement on said shaft, means pro# viding a connection between said shaft and said roller frames, said means holding said distributing roller in yielding engagement with said form roller, and coacting means on said shaft and on said distributing roller for limiting the endwise movement of` said distributing roller on said shaft Without increasing the frictional resistance against a free rotative movement of said distributing roller on said shaft after it has reached the limit ofv its endWise travel thereon.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I aiiiX my signature in the presence of tivo Witnesses, this 12th day of November, A. D. 1918.

ROBERT O. VANDERCOOK. Witnesses T. H. ALFREDS, D DoRRnNoUGEN. 

